Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body Modifications
Body modifications such as tattoo, scarification and body suspension represent not only aesthetic interventions, they can also be social practices with which to challenge and transcend the body’s limits, operating on the perception of wellbeing and moulding specific forms of self. In this Research A...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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University of Edinburgh Library
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Medicine Anthropology Theory |
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| Online Access: | http://www.medanthrotheory.org/article/view/6532 |
| _version_ | 1797665118731894784 |
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| author | Federica Manfredi |
| author_facet | Federica Manfredi |
| author_sort | Federica Manfredi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Body modifications such as tattoo, scarification and body suspension represent not only aesthetic interventions, they can also be social practices with which to challenge and transcend the body’s limits, operating on the perception of wellbeing and moulding specific forms of self. In this Research Article, based on research on body suspension in Europe, I aim to analyse body modifications as a means to voluntarily intervene in human perceptive abilities, shaping individual lives through unconventional sensory experiences. In these practices, pain is signified as a threshold for sensory turmoil, capable of shaping the protagonists into a ‘sensory poiesis’. Through such sensory experiences the individual embarks on a process of ‘self-design’ to achieve a better state of being, combining suspensions with other body modification techniques. Suspension practitioners act on the flesh and skin with hooks, scalpel, and ink in order to process events, to trigger new versions of the self, and to enhance how they feel. In doing so, they produce unique and original ‘projects of humanity’, that is, new forms of humanity created by the individuals themselves. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T19:40:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-256a385653bb4341919b64ff3d01f1f5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-691X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T19:40:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | University of Edinburgh Library |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicine Anthropology Theory |
| spelling | doaj.art-256a385653bb4341919b64ff3d01f1f52023-10-06T13:04:13ZengUniversity of Edinburgh LibraryMedicine Anthropology Theory2405-691X2023-09-0110312510.17157/mat.10.3.65326532Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body ModificationsFederica Manfredi0Institute of Social Sciences - University of LisbonBody modifications such as tattoo, scarification and body suspension represent not only aesthetic interventions, they can also be social practices with which to challenge and transcend the body’s limits, operating on the perception of wellbeing and moulding specific forms of self. In this Research Article, based on research on body suspension in Europe, I aim to analyse body modifications as a means to voluntarily intervene in human perceptive abilities, shaping individual lives through unconventional sensory experiences. In these practices, pain is signified as a threshold for sensory turmoil, capable of shaping the protagonists into a ‘sensory poiesis’. Through such sensory experiences the individual embarks on a process of ‘self-design’ to achieve a better state of being, combining suspensions with other body modification techniques. Suspension practitioners act on the flesh and skin with hooks, scalpel, and ink in order to process events, to trigger new versions of the self, and to enhance how they feel. In doing so, they produce unique and original ‘projects of humanity’, that is, new forms of humanity created by the individuals themselves.http://www.medanthrotheory.org/article/view/6532body suspensionsensory poiesistranceenhancementpain |
| spellingShingle | Federica Manfredi Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body Modifications Medicine Anthropology Theory body suspension sensory poiesis trance enhancement pain |
| title | Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body Modifications |
| title_full | Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body Modifications |
| title_fullStr | Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body Modifications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body Modifications |
| title_short | Thinking the Self through Hooks, Needles, and Scalpels: Body Suspensions, Tattoos, and other Body Modifications |
| title_sort | thinking the self through hooks needles and scalpels body suspensions tattoos and other body modifications |
| topic | body suspension sensory poiesis trance enhancement pain |
| url | http://www.medanthrotheory.org/article/view/6532 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT federicamanfredi thinkingtheselfthroughhooksneedlesandscalpelsbodysuspensionstattoosandotherbodymodifications |